(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to generating three-dimensional images. More particularly, the present invention relates to using motion detectors or accelerometers to determine movement and position of a camera and combine this information with multiple images taken by the camera to generate a 3-D image.
(2) Related Art
Photographic and imaging systems today are primarily designed for use in recreating two-dimensional images. In a two dimensional image, only one perspective is needed. This perspective may be generated by positioning a camera at a fixed position and recording the image on photographic film or on electronic sensors. However, human vision is stereoscopic. Thus, the human brain combines two images, each image reaching one eye. The brain combines the two images to generate an additional dimension of depth to create a three dimensional (3-D) image. In recent years, cameras and electronic sensors have been designed to try to take two images and recombine them to reproduce a three dimensional image with a depth component.
Traditional three dimensional imaging systems utilized two cameras. Preferably, the relationship between the two cameras was fixed. Thus, when the two perspectives (one perspective from each camera) were recombined, the information relating the two perspectives was known because of the fixed relationship between the two cameras. The problem with using two cameras is that it is more expensive than a single camera arrangement. Two cameras typically require two lenses, two camera bodies, and two sets of film.
Alternative systems for generating 3-D images have been implemented using two lenses in one camera body. These systems are still more expensive than standard two-dimensional cameras because multiple systems of lenses are needed to create multiple images. Each lens system generates an image corresponding to a different perspective view of the subject being photographed. Furthermore, placing two lens systems in a single camera body, requires that the lens systems be placed in close proximity to each other. The close proximity of the two systems of lenses results in less depth perception than would be available if the lens systems could be placed further apart.
Alternate embodiments of generating a 3-D image are possible using mirrors and prisms. However, such systems are bulky and complicated. Thus, it is desirable to design a system which can quickly and easily generate multiple images for combination into a single 3-D image. Such a system will be described in the following application.